We recently connected with Danielle Centofanti-Davidson and have shared our conversation below.

Danielle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

To start, I’ll mention that entrepreneurship, owning your own business, and doing things with your hands were not foreign to me growing up – it runs in my family. My grandparents moved to Westchester, New York from Italy, and built their own home. When something broke or needed doing, you did it yourself, and you learned how to tackle projects. My mom ran her own travel agency when I was a child, and now she and my dad run a manufacturing business together, called LiteMirror, based in Irvington, NY. So, as a child and into my pre-college years, I always imagined myself as a business owner or being self-made, rather than partaking in a traditional corporate career. I was constantly inventing up projects for myself, collecting random objects to “sell” or barter with, most notably marbles and beanie babies, and taking too many trips to Staples to buy “office supplies.” I love supplies. Still do. The movie quote I’ve always resonated most with is from the cinematic classic, You’ve Got Mail, when Tom Hanks, in the opening scene, says “Don’t you love New York in the Fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies.” I felt that. Still do.

In reality, my career began in New York City doing corporate media relations and advertising. Once COVID hit, however, much like countless others, I felt trapped in my 9-5 job and stood witness to the fall and extreme hardship of too many small businesses. Experiencing it firsthand, my parents navigated the complications and headaches of PPP loans amongst other COVID protocol requirements.

Thus was the oil that got my creaky entrepreneurial gears turning once again – it had been a long time since I felt true excitement and passion for work, but just allowing my brain to think outside the box was enough. My parents, like so many other small businesses in 2020, were needing to branch outside of their regular business practices and find new ways to bring a dollar through the front door, so I started helping them with their marketing efforts outside of my 9-5.

At the same time, I was constantly thinking up ways to get business back for the Main Street businesses in my area, which happens to be 20 miles north of New York City – a city well-known for its mass exodus during COVID. The concept I landed on that kickstarted my now full-service marketing practice was a multi-town campaign targeting new residents of our Hudson Valley area goaled on spreading awareness of their new surroundings. Basically, a tourism campaign for Westchester’s Rivertowns (inclusive of Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Irvington, Dobbs Ferry, and Hastings-on-Hudson) highlighting participating businesses, Chamber of Commerce, restaurants, shops, and services.

Once I began work on behalf of my parents’ business and on the Westchester tourism campaign, pitching it to local officials and Chamber of Commerce groups, I realized my passion for ideating and executing my own marketing strategies. With that, I quit my corporate job and set off to build Main St. Business Strategies LLC.

For over 2 years now, I’ve had the honor of working with the best and most creative business owners, makers, and startups across NY state, as well as a few brilliant clients in CT, PA, and D.C.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I began my career in media relations and PR, working at CBS and a boutique entertainment PR firm in NY. Once social media marketing really started taking off and brands across all industries were more interested in learning about what that channel could do for them over traditional media, I jumped into the social media advertising world working for nationally and globally recognized brands at Omnicom Media Group and eventually WPP.

Since 2021, I’ve been running my own marketing business catering to small and medium-sized businesses and startups across NY and the tri-state area. My practice specializes in providing approachable, creative marketing services to clients across a wide variety of industries, including interior design, home & garden products, and services, professional services, and e-commerce platforms.

Marketing is often considered a daunting, time-consuming task for business owners who already have a mile-long to-do list, and usually don’t have all the tools and best practices to execute themselves. This is where I come in. During introductory calls, I hear out the unique needs of each business owner and craft a specialized, approachable list of tactics and offerings that’ll help accomplish their goals. I don’t do one-size-fits-all plans and contracts.

Some key areas and needs that I provide services for include brand partnerships, social media strategy, website development, SEO, and a variety of consulting options. Some clients prefer I work in a more hands-on manner, where I lead a project from end to end, while others prefer to learn the tools and execute tactics themselves. Clients tell me what works best for them, what learning process they prefer and we partner together in that specific way.

The aspect of my business that I’m most protective of, and also most proud of, is the focus on approachability and collaboration. The success my clients and I have accomplished together is a result of collaborative, researched, creative tactics that we both proudly stand behind. Highlighting what makes their business what it is, how they differentiate, and keeping it true to their brand in a smart, approachable way will always win

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

The three most important aspects that have helped build my reputation are: Understanding on a deep level the hurdles facing small and medium-sized businesses, knowing ways to conquer goals through marketing strategies, and executing approachable tactics collaboratively.

I’m so proud of the work my clients and I have tackled together and seeing their pride in the project, campaign, or marketing know-how has built up trust in what I offer. From events to rebrands, blog posts to website development, product launches to holiday campaigns, the work is reflected in the communities my clients occupy, the results they see at the end of the day and the feedback I get when closing out a project.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Reaching out to check in with past clients at more than just holiday times, connecting on more than just work to get to know them personally, and sending newsletters covering topics related to their industry and business. Being a source of knowledge and partnership outside contract hours is important, and elevates my brand beyond the 1:1 interaction.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mainstreetsmb.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mainst_bizstrategies/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-centofanti-davidson/

Image Credits
Kimberly Patota of KP Creative Captures, Danielle Centofanti-Davidson